


Answers

by MechanicalRoseBud



Series: Moon and Shadows [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gabriel is a smokey, Hunter AU, Jack finally gets some answers, M/M, answers, smoke monster?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 15:18:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10165805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechanicalRoseBud/pseuds/MechanicalRoseBud
Summary: Jack finally asks what's been bothering him. This set of chapters picks up right after where Breaking Point ends.





	

**Author's Note:**

> As always, Boxeption, is my lovely beta. This is a series of chapters that will answer all those lingering questions you got folks! <3

"Alright," Jack shifted as he stood, shadows flickering and undulating around his feet as the source of them looked at him passively from the bed, "I have some questions." He held back the indignant snort that rolled up his throat at the way those eyes- a whole line of them- seemed to suddenly avoid looking at him for a few seconds as Jack stepped closer. It was a failed attempt to box the shadowy wraith in as those eyes shifted back toward his gaze. Gabriel covered the bed in a strange mist that spilled off the edges and pooled around the bed's frame. Jack had nearly screamed when he woke up with dark tendrils curled intimately around his throat, pulsating coils hugging tight. 

Answers. He had been too caught up in his own emotions and what was happening to ask last night. They had been too busy with other things; desperation, the chilled heat embracing him and the scenery of their confrontation. Jack startled himself out of his thoughts at the brush against his shoulder and he pulled his hand away. No distractions. He stepped until he was right next to the bed, looking down at the rippling dark mass comfortably seated on the ruffled sheets that still radiated the warmth of when they were asleep. The sharp blood red eyes rolled and swayed drunkenly at the mercy of currents riding through the central mass of Gabriel. 

It was a long moment of eyes staring at a smaller set of eyes before they seemed to relent to some degree, "I'll answer one question, Jackie, so make it good." Tendrils pooled together, forming more of the body Jack had to struggle to tear his eyes away from as dark thighs pulled together into an Indian style fold. Jack let his feet carry him as he paced, giving himself a moment to think; only one question. There were so many tumbling in his head, making his thoughts chaotic. He winced at the headache threatening to scatter his train of thought but seized upon one that rolled forward.

“What are you?” 

The question made the air in the room feel heavy; the half formed being on his bed stiffened hearing it before he disintegrated completely. A writhing mass spilled off the edges as red eyes, scratched and blinking, focused on him before it started to slide forward. Jack winced at the way Gabriel heaved across the ground, the scraping along the wooden floor sounded akin to heavy burlap before he watched a tendril reach out to his foot. It should have been off-putting, the coolness seeping across his skin. Cornflower blue eyes watched this dark mass seep all over the floor, blinking up at him with eyes that weren’t quite right and shifted with each slight ripple. They didn’t all look at him at once, some were gazing outside, others were curiously looking around; it almost seemed as if there were several personalities trying to take in everything at once. The silence still hung in the air, and Jack sighed as he dropped his folded arms, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose, a clear sign of irritation.

“Gabriel,” the viscous substance crawled up his thighs and began to stick to his bare skin, it broke apart with each minute pull to drag it up further, “you said you’d answer my question. If you’re not going to talk to me you can take your weird sticky self off of-” tendrils unfurled from the mass, now clinging to his waist; the weight tugged at the clothes, pressing more firmly against the skin that was revealed. 

“I don’t know,” the sultry voice finally spoke up and Jack froze at the unchecked weight behind those words, “I’ve always been like this.” Jack felt the subtle vibrations of that voice rolling through the blackness spreading slowly over everything, thick wisps pulled from the center of it. There was more smoke thickening in the room, Jack felt a twinge of horror breathing it in. It was acidic, burning his lungs even as he felt it lining the inside of his mouth like heavy silk. Thick and smooth as he shook his head, Gabriel was everywhere, nearly everything in the room as Jack clicked his tongue. He needed an answer. “Details,” the irritated tone in his voice slipped through and he felt a sharp jab of regret as Gabriel recoiled, slowly cobbling together the form Jack was familiar with. Dark skin steamed with those dark plumes as that crimson gaze finally settled on him.

Gabriel sighed somewhat as hands ran through his ebony locks, tugging at them as he stepped over to the window. His hand waved and dark cloth materialized around his thighs; dressing him loosely as he looked outside while his shoulder rested against the windowsill. “I’m the physical manifestation of shadows, the shade and everything in it.” He didn’t meet Jack’s eyes as he spoke, holding up his hand as Jack stepped forward. He didn’t have to look at the other man to see the questions building in those blue eyes, “I remember what this place looked like before people showed up. It was vast forest with plains that stretched for miles in every direction populated with fantastical beasts,” Gabriel gazed unseeing outside, he was simply looking through his own memories, sorting through them so he could answer Jack. 

“There’s no easy way to answer your question, Jack,” he said simply as he sighed and rubbed at his temples, narrowly avoiding the eyes blinking out of succession. Gabriel’s hair flickered through long wispy trails that became tangible against the dark head but faded into nothing as they trailed down the strong back facing Jack; hands slipped onto the curved hips before there was another exasperated sigh from the man who stepped out of shadows. 

A long silent moment passed before he seemed to come to a conclusion, “A shadow. I’m a shadow, Jack,” Gabriel said with a nod before the coagulation of red eyes flickered into existence; some blinked and almost seemed to maddeningly glance around before they faded with an exaggerated wink. “Don’t ask me how it works,” he said as soon as he spied the questioning glance on Jack’s features and the old Hunter jolted at the curious tendril that suddenly lifted into his vision. It was half formed as it tapped on Jack’s forehead before he snorted and brushed it away, his fingers passing through the agitated smoke as it drifted away. 

 

“So,” Jack crossed his arms as he met the cluster of crimson eyes, “you’re some sort of Shadow god?” Gabriel’s body darkened, black smoke consuming him and rolling toward Jack, some drifting up to run over his exposed chest as it reformed. Gabriel hummed, leaning against Jack as thick plumes of smoke slipped from between his lips. Jack shuddered at the cool waves of dark smoke slipping over him as Gabriel’s arms reached out, a chin stuck out to rest on his shoulder while those arms rested around his waist. 

Jack took a second to reflect on how his life got to this moment. “If that make sense to you then go for it,” Gabriel offered unhelpfully as Jack sighed at the weight settling on him. The man was like a cat; grumpy, didn’t give answers clearly and seemed to like touching him. His eyes were drawn to the mist seeping around both of them, how it thickened and dissipated akin to a jagged heartbeat. 

“Alright.” It was irritatingly natural to lean his cheek against the head tucked against his shoulder, “How old are you then? Got an answer for that?” He snorted at the red gaze that fell on him, Gabriel gave him another exasperated glance. 

“I was around before people knew what feet were, Jack, I’m pretty old,” it was a pointed almost jabbed phrase as Gabriel shifted and grumbled as he looped thick, terrifyingly sharp claws into Jack’s belt loops dragging the man toward the bed again. Jack felt his cat comparison might have been too on point. 

Gabriel huffed as he pulled his head away, his claws gripped the cloth firmly. Twitching warm threads rolled into something thicker, and he glanced down to see the curious tips of tendrils slipping under the loose shirt. Jack closed his eyes at the sensation of them rolling up his stomach, bumping into the divot of his belly button before they curiously climbed higher. They were slightly slick, sticking to every inch of Jack. Gabriel raised a brow when Jack finally opened his eyes again, “That was two questions, Jackie, you owe me,” he didn’t like the sultry, dangerous tone in that voice as he stumbled along with the hard jerk pulling him where Gabriel wanted him to go. 

Descending into the soft plume of black clouds that covered the bed Jack relented that at least he'd gotten one answer. He would ask more, press for more details to clear the haze in his mind but he'd let himself get distracted...for now.


End file.
